THE latest phase of Vision Tameside has been completed with new paving installed outside Tameside One.
Around 750 square metres of paving was used in this section, which opens up the area between the new Ashton Library and Ashton Town Hall and means visitors can now use the glass elevator leading to the terrace with access to Tameside Council’s customer services and Tameside College’s restaurant.
Cycle storage has also been installed on Market Place for those visiting Tameside One and Ashton town centre.
It is part of phase two of the Ashton Town Centre Public Realm Scheme with work now moving to renew the rest of the paving on all sides of Tameside One, including Warrington Street, Wellington Road and the remaining Market Square area. The total area of paving for phase two is 8,500 sqm.
Work is well underway on Warrington Street to transform it into an attractive and relaxing environment complete with new paving and raised planted areas featuring trees, seating, and cycle stands. This section should be completed at the end of September.
Phase 1 was completed in 2017 and covered the remodelling of the existing Market Square with 5,500 sqm of paving, stalls and kiosks.
The work is being delivered by Tameside Council’s design and delivery service with five apprentice mason paviors working on the scheme, alongside a further 10 members of staff, of which nine started their careers as apprentices.
Tameside One is open and features a joint public service centre, headquarters for both Tameside Council and Tameside and Glossop CCG, including the new Ashton Library, customer services and welfare rights, Citizens Advice, Cash Box Credit Union and JobCentre Plus.
It is also home to Tameside College’s advanced skills centre, providing students with one of the best learning resources in Greater Manchester in specialist subjects including hospitality and catering, bakery, travel and tourism, hair and beauty and business.
Wilko’s new retail space opened at Tameside One on July 10.
Sally Backhouse, a representative of the Alzheimer’s Society led a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on behalf of the Wilko Charity Partnership, along with Wilko head of retail Craig McGregor, branch manager Sam Kavanagh, and the executive leader of Tameside Council, Cllr Brenda Warrington.
Founded in 1930 as Wilkinson Stores by JK Wilkinson, Wilko is one of the UK’s largest and most popular retailers.